What is a Whitewater Park?

A whitewater park is an area on a river in which the flow and gradient have been altered in order to create river “features” that lend themselves to canoeists, kayakers, or even stand up paddleboards being able to do tricks, race, and perform other recreational activities. These features can be holes, waves, or some combination of the two. Holes are created when water flows over a submerged and immobile object, thus causing the water to recirculate and flow back upstream (sometimes referred to as a hydraulic). Waves are similar to holes but have a smooth face of water that rushes up and down their peak, rather than a drop off into a hydraulic. Additionally, waves have less of a recirculating hydraulic flow than holes. Simply imagine the wake of a motor boat in only one location on a river, and you have a wave.  

Whitewater parks usually combine both waves and holes to create an interconnected system of features perfect for the adventure seeker.  In Saranac Lake we are trying to rebuild a single whitewater feature, most likely a wave. The nice thing about a single feature is that it allows for enjoyment by paddlers, tubers and boogie boarders alike.  Similar whitewater parks, surrounded by trails and recreational areas, have not only achieved their original objectives of providing a venue for local water sports enthusiasts, but have often exceeded expectations by becoming focal points for their communities and recreational destinations for outdoor tourism on a regional basis. 

Saranac Lake’s Whitewater Legacy

This is not the first time this section of the Saranac River has been used for whitewater recreation. In 1995 a group of local whitewater paddlers joined together to build what was to be known as the Hydro Point Park Project, which was comprised of the still-existent River Walk, as well as a beginner whitewater kayak/canoe practice area. This whitewater training area extended from the foot of Lake Flower Dam to an area across the river from the current Beaver Park, then called the Boy Scout Canoe Launch. The training area covered 500 feet of river and included 24 wooden slalom gates, similar to the gates used for the summer Olympics. During the construction of this training area, whitewater racing was quite popular, and slalom courses were popping up all over the country, even showing up in college pools.

To create the whitewater training area several jetties were installed using local stone and other natural materials. Most of the labor for construction came from volunteers, including members of a paddling club called Adirondack Paddlers, as well as students in the Wilderness Recreation Leadership Program at North Country Community College. Combined with a new Riverwalk and surrounding landscaping, the whole area was a sight to behold! Others seemingly thought so as well because the training area received a lot of use from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s.

In 1995, the year the whitewater training area was completed, the first annual Riverfest was held at Hydro Point Park. This three-day fundraising event for the Riverwalk attracted boaters from across the northeastern United States, many of whom were there specifically for whitewater activities. Popular kayaking brands such as Dagger and Perception offered free boat demos, and the Riverfest Slalom Race held at the whitewater training area saw dozens of participants!

Festivals weren’t the only activity to happen at Hydro Point Park. Whitewater canoe and kayak instructional courses were also a well-attended pastime. For over 10 years local youth were taught by paddling instructors Jim Sausville (the project director for the whitewater training area construction) and Jason Smith (the owner of Adirondack Lakes and Trails Outfitters). Some of the best whitewater paddlers in the state learned from their courses and experienced top-level education in paddling. Jim and Jason are often known for their stories of learning how to roll a kayak and racing in the slalom course gates during their younger years.

Time to Rebuild

Whatever happened to the whitewater training area; where does it stand today? Due to flooding, a leadership turnover, and financial constraints this area fell into disrepair in the mid-2000s. A brief resurgence took place in the late 2000s when an Eagle Scout project led by local whitewater kayaker Luke Eckert spent a great deal of effort restoring some of the features and making the training area usable again. However, mother nature had her own plans, and the “500-year flood” of 2011 sealed the fate of the whitewater training area. It has sat in a state of disrepair ever since, despite several local groups, such as Paul Smith’s College and North Country School, still using it for educational purposes.

Fast forward to modern times. In 2016, local whitewater boater Scott McKim and board members of AdkAction met with Jim Sausville to discuss the possibility of rebuilding the whitewater park. The popularity of slalom racing has diminished in the last few decades, but demand for whitewater boating continues to grow. Playboating, or staying on one feature and practicing, continues to be one of the best ways to enjoy whitewater boating, as well as training for other whitewater activities. From speaking to several experts in the field, a single-feature whitewater park on the Saranac River was determined to be the most practical, universally-enjoyable, and permanent option. Since that meeting, there has been a lot of progress and loads of public support for the project.